Military intrenching-tool.



E. B. BENGTSSON. MILITARY INTRBNCHING TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1909.

Patented May 23, 1911.

wijn, es@ e.:

To all-whom 'it lrac/y concerm.

UNiTED STAWENT OFFICE.

ERNST BENKT'iaENGrssoN, oEsTocKHoL-M', SWEDEN.

MILITARY 'rNr'nnNcHINc-'roon Be it .known -that I, ERNST BliNK'rBENG'rssoN, a' subject of theKing of-Sweden,

residing at Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, have inventedY a newand useful -Military Intrenching-Tool, of whichA the following isaspecification, reference being had to the drawing accompanying andforming'a part hereof. A

This invent'on relates to military intrenching ,tools and particularlyto spades for infantry.

f It is well known that the advancing of in- 'fantry against lan enemyslpositions is per intrenchments ar'e formed at the ystopping-v todecrease the losses, that each lizes, as muchas possible, thedepressions in l formed at short intervals, and, if `posslble,

places, whereby it is of importance, in order soldier utithev ground,or, if' no depressionsarevto be found, producessuch depressionshimself.'

The use of a commonspade` forintrenching purposes has, however, thedrawback that the rifle`canno't be used simultaneously. It has proveditself that in the last wars the men used spoons, bayonets and even thehands in order toA obtain a cover. A spade such a spade which is simpleand easily port-` able and .which may be used not only for in-v naltubes of the cover. Fig. 13 is a plan view'of a-number of spade bladesconnected. 90

adapted to be used forintrenching purposes must therefore be so arranged'that the spade and 'the-rifle may be used simultaneously.

The object of the invention is to provide trenching or digging purposes,with or without shaft, but also for various other purposes which may berequired in a modern war, such asl for use as a body shield or as a headguard or cover, as a tent-pole, or for making frame-works etc.

- Thev lnventlon compr1ses a certain improved shaft-handle, said handlebeingdetachably AAconnected to the shaft, in a posi-y tion at thev sidethereof, so as to allowthe shaft to be extended 'past the handle forforming a pole or the like.

The Invention further comprises means attached to the back ofthe'spade-shield for catching the enemys weapon.

Suitably the-shaft is composed of one tube and -.two sleeves connectedtogether by clamps 'and bolts'so `that the shaft may be easily takenintoparts adapted for use in formin frame-works of different kinds.

. The invention further comprises the conspecification of LettersPatent. Patented May 23, 1911.-` .Application led November 5, 1909.Serial No. 526,462. l

struction and combination of parts hereinafter more particularlydescribed.

In the drawing, I have shown a preferred.

embodiment ofA my' invention and variousl employments of the same.

Figure 1 is a front view ofthe spadeshield with the shaft attachedthereto. Fig.

2 is aside view of the same.V -Fig. 3 1s a frontv view of thedetachedblade of the spade adapted for useas a shield or in di ging with one.hand only. Fig. 4 vis a side view of the same showing in dotted lines.the left hand seizing the short neck or shank of the blade.` Fig. 5 is alongitudinal sectional det-ail view showing the connection between thesaid neck and. the tubular shaft of the tool. Fig. 6 shows a number ofshafts conv nected together to form a tent-pole.' Fig. 7 shows twotubular shafts connected. together by the sleevenormally formingtheattachment for thel handle part of the tool. Fig.

8 shows a connection ofshafts and sleeves.

formingfpartof a framework. Fig. 9 shows a similar connection formingpart .of a

,frame-work ofthree dimensions. Fig. 10 is a side view of the bladeinserted in the ground in a position to serveas a head guard or cover inthe prone position and as a support for the rifle. Fig. 11 is a frontview. of a frame work forming' a cover against infantry lire. 12 is'aside view of a number of handle clamps connected together to form asupport for the longituditogether to form the armor of the cover.

Referring to the drawing, the blade 1 (Figs. 1-4) ofthe spadesuitablyconsistsv of a curved sheet-iron plate having a num-v ber (suitably twopair) of eyes 2 secured .to its concave.side,said eyes 4formingfasteningsfor straps 3 or the like (Figs. 43 and 4) of leather or othersuitable material. Riv;-

eted or otherwise attached to the said blade 1 is a short len .h oftubing 4 cut diametrically at one en and flattened out as shown at 5 soas to form a pair of clutches for firmly holding the interposed blade.The

.upper part of the tube 4 forms a short neck having means for attachingthe blade toa longer tube or shaft 6. The connection suitioo ablyconsists of' two blade springs 7 (Figs.

1,52 and O diame 'cally oppositeV pomts and havlng 5) attached to theneck 4 at two l y` `i at ktheir free ends inwardly projecting pins lholes in the neck 4.

When the shaft is to be connected to the blade, it is inserted with itslower end into- 8 adapted to engage correspondlng holes in the up erpart of the neck' 4 and the lower part of) have va. tendency to take -upthe position shown at the llefthand side of Fig. 5, and 1n order to keepthe s ame' in locking positions. the upper'palrtof the neck 4 isscrewthread ed to recelve aninteriorly threaded cap 9 adapted to bescrewed down upon the upper ends of the springs 7. In order that aslight turning of the cap 9 may suffice for locking or releasing thesprings 7 the, cap 9 may be provided with one or more slits 10 throughwhich the springs may pass. For enabling the cap 9 to be convenientlyhandledit may suitably be milled, at its circumference, as shown inFigs. 1-4. In order to prevent the cap from unscrewing itself from theneck 4 the latter may suitably be somewhat widened at its -upperend, asshown atll, Fig. 5. The lower end of the shaft 6 is suitably provided.with two diametrically opposite slits 12'adapted to engage a bolt 13ins.

serted through two diametrieally opposite the neck 4 o'f the4 blade,until its lower edge meets the b olt13, and then turned, while beingpressed inward, so' that lthe slits 12 engage thel said bolt. lThe sprins 7 are then grasped withthe 'left hand an pressed closeup to theouter'side of the neck so that *the pins- 8 engage the coinciding holesin the neckk and the shaft, whereupon the cap 9 is .screwed down' uponthe ends `of the springs for locking same in position.

Attached bya bolt 14 totheupper part of the shaft 6 is a short socket orsleeve 15,

and attached to the said sleeve, preferably i by the bolt .14 and asecond bolt 1'6 are, two

clamps 17 each forming at its upper end a r1ngv18. Inserted into the.rings 18 and firmly secured thereto by through-going bolts 19 is asecond socket or sleeve 20,-

preferably of the same dimensions4 as the sleeve 15 and having the holesfor the bolts placed at the same distances from the ends as in the said'latter sleeve, so that the one sleevemay be replaced by the other one,if

.of the bo desired. TheV holes inthe shaft 6 for the -bolt'14 arepreferablyfat such a distance lhom the end of the shaft that, when thesleeve 15 is secured to the shaft, the end of the latter will be at themiddle of the sleeve.

The clamps 17 arebent laterally, as shown the shaft 6, as clearly shownat the right hand side of Fig. 5. The springs 7 '16, ashaft 6 may belnserted into shown in'Figs. 1 and 2.

'so that the sleeve 15 may be secured to the shaft 6 in a position atright' angles to that.

` All the parts of the implement described are preferably made of steelby which the tool will be more effective in digging in hard and vstonyground.

-fWhen the implement is lto be used as a i "spade for digging with onehand, the blade 1 is detached rom the shaft 6 and the stra s Sattachedby spring-hooks or the like to t e Ieyes2, as shown in Figs. 3 and-'4.The blade 1s hung by a sword-.knot or strap 21 enga ing the upper strap3 to the wrist of the le hand, which may either be inserted between thetwo straps 3 at one side and the blade 1 at the other side, 'as shown inFig. 3, or placed about the. neck of the blade, as shown in Fig. 4.A Inthe former case the riie may be handled by both hands due totheflexibility of the straps 3 while during the pauses in firing the blademay be used by the operator lying prone for throwing up an intrenchmentto provide cover from the lire o he enemy. The blade may also be used asa shield in fighting with saber's' or bayonets, in which case L.theblade may be held as shown in Fig. 3. A metal strip 22 secured to-thelower partof the neck '4 and to the lower part of the blade 1 serves. asa means for catching and retainirlllg the point of the enemys bayonet orthe l'A e so as to Vexpose him. n

In camping it may be desired to l connect a number of shafts toatent-pole. 'To this end a suitable number of shafts are detached fromthe blades, and the lower end of one shaft is inserted into the upperend of another shaft in such a manner that the slit 12 at the lower endof 4the first shaft will engage the screw-bolt 16 at the upper end oftheother shaft. Fig. 6 shows four shafts thus' connected together .to forma tent-pole. The ring at the apex of the tent will bear on a smallflange or ring 23 near the upper (normally lower) end of the uppermostshaft (see Figs. 1, ,2 and 5).' The ring 23 may be attached to the shaftby small screws 424 so that it may be removed, when desired.

As is easily understood, the shaft may be readilytaken into pieces, andit will be seen that each shaft furnishes one longer tube,

two shorter sleeves 15 and 20, two clamps 17, -v

and four screw-bolts with nuts. These parts may be used in constructingframe-works for various purposes.

In Fig. 7 two tubes 6 are shown firmly connected by a sleeve 15 and twobolts. Fig. 8 shows a similar connection forming .two

lengths of tubing crossing each other at- .right angles. Fig. 9 shows inwhat manner the 'parts may be connected in order to obtain q =frameworkof three dimensions. In such q manner several structures may be formed,auch as scales, bridges, fences, etc.

Fig. 10 shows in what manner the 'blade may be used as a cover in theprone position and as a support for the rifle 25 which is suitably'placed in a position with the trigger-guard 26 close up to the blade.

Figs. 11-13 show in what mannerv the parts of a number of spades .may beconnected for the purpose of constructing an improvised safeguard. Theclamps are connected by small bolts in the manner shown in the drawing.To this end the clamps 17 are provided just between the holes for thebolts 14.- and 16 with a third bolt-hole 27 (Figs. 2 and 12) The tubes 6are connected in the manner shown in Fig. 7 and supported in the rings18 of theclamps. The blades 1, which are suitably provided at the edgeswith small bolt-holes 28 (Fig. 1), ma .be

' hand.

I am aware that spades are before known in which the handle is placed atthe -side of the shaft, but in such spades the handle is firmly attachedto the shaft, Whereas, Vaccording'to the present invention, the handleis 4detachably connected thereto. I, therefore, do not broadly claimshafts having the handle attached at the side of it but I only claimsuch shafts having the handle detachably connected to the shaft at theside thereof. v

'I claim:

1. A military intrenching tool comprising a spade-blade, a shaftdetachably connected to the said spade-blade, and a handle the side tereof, so as to allow anadditional shaft toJoe a. plied to the former ina position in -whic it extends axially past the said handle.- l

2. A military intrenching tool comprising a spade-blade, a shaftdetachably connected connected to the said shaft, at

to the said spade-blade, a sleeve connected to the upper enel of thesaid shaft, and' a handle detachably connected to the said sleeve insucha position as toallow the v lower end of a second shaft .to be insertedinto the said sleeve. l

3. A military intrenching tool comprisin a spade-blade, a neck attachedto the sai spade-blade, a shaft adapted to be inserted into the saidneck, springs attached to the said neck in positions to engagecorresponding holes inthe said neck and shaft, and a cap placed on theupper end of the neck and adapted to keep thesprings in lockingpositions. v

4. A military spade-shield comprising means forl applying same to onehand of the operator, and a metal strip attached to the back of theshield for catching the point of the enemys weapon.

5. A military intrenching tool comprising a spade-blade, a shaftdetachably connected `to the said spade-blade, a sleeve attached to theupper end of the. said shaft, clampsv attached to the said sleeve, and asecond sleeve attached to the said clamps in a ldirection at rightangles -to the rst to form a convenient handle.

' 6. A military intrenching tool comprising la spade-blade, a shaftdetachably connected to the said spade-blade, a sleeve attached to theupper end of the said shaftl and adapted to be used -as a socket-jointfor connecting two shafts together, and a hansaid dle detachablyconnected to the said sleeve.

` 7. A military intrenching tool comprising a spade-blade, a shaftdetachably .connected to the said spade-blade, a sleeve detachablconnected to the upper end of the said sha t and adapted to be used asa, socket-joint for 'connecting two shafts together,` and a handleattached to the said sleeve. 1 .l

8. A military intrenching tool comprising a spade-blade, a shaftdetachably connected to the said spade-blade, a sleeve detachablfygj lconnected to theupper end of the said sha and adapted to be used as asocket-joint for connecting two shafts together, and a handle detachablyconnected to the said'sleeve.

ERNST BENKT BENGTSSON. Witnesses: j

Aue. SnENsEN, KARL RUNcsKoe.

